Praedicator

Verba

Friday, April 18, 2014 - Good Friday of the Lord's Passion - ABC

[Isa 52:13-53:12; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42]

Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed.

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Every year on Good Friday we hear these words from Isaiah in the first scripture for the Good Friday service. [Good Friday is the only day of the year when Mass is not celebrated.] Even if you are unable to attend the service, which is often held in mid-afternoon around the time when Jesus was crucified, I urge you to read the whole passage from Isaiah and then read the Passion According to John. For me, the overwhelming feeling is of something terrible done for my sake. The eerie description of the "Suffering Servant" in Isaiah sets the stage for the Passion.

Most of us are aware of the word, "sacrifice," in the sense of giving something up for sake of helping someone else. Parents make "sacrifices" for their children and, later, children for their parents! Spouses make sacrifices for one another, as do close friends. I'm sure you can think of other examples in many different contexts. Good Friday, however, unites everyone in one great sacrifice made for us all. Pope Francis is recommending to us that we find a crucifix today and kiss it and say, "Thank you!" [Part of the Good Friday service is the opportunity to "venerate" the cross!]

We may also include in our thoughts all those who suffer from the ravages of war or illness or violence of any kind. They are all united with the suffering of Christ for the sake of us all. The Letter to the Hebrews today points out how Jesus knows our suffering and weaknesses. We do not want to glorify suffering for its own sake, but we have to acknowledge its terrible reality and know that suffering may be "redemptive" when done for others. The crucifix shows the body of Jesus. A bare cross shows the possibilities for each of us. Today of all days is the day to ponder that cross and say a word of thanks to that crucifix! AMEN